The bill is expected to be at least another reauthorization of the SOAR Act, or worse, a significant expansion of the DC voucher program in advance of a Trump/DeVos proposal to divert $20 billion from other federal programs to private, religious, and home schools.

1) DC doesn’t want or need a voucher program. DC Public and Public Charter schools are rapidly improving and already offer DC parents a wide variety of educational options. In fact, we already have more “school choice” than nearly any other jurisdiction, with accompanying performance and accountability frameworks that provide transparency and protect students’ civil rights, unlike private schools.

2) 80% of students using vouchers in DC attend private religious schools, which operate outside federal civil rights protections and the non-discrimination provisions of the DC Human Rights Act.

3) Imposing a federal voucher program on DC residents outside of our local legislative and budget process is undemocratic and an attack on DC Home Rule.

4) Do your job — your constituents didn’t elect you to the school board in DC. Hands Off DC Schools!